Detonating fuse.



EMIL BURKARD, OF POTSIDAM, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURSPOWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF NEW PatentedJan. '7, 1913.

JERSEY.

DETONATING FUSE.

v 1,049,665. Specification of Letters latent.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

uBe it known that I, EMIL BURKARD, a subject of, the Emperor of Germany,residing at Potsdam, Germany, have invented anew and useful Improvementin Detonating Fuses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Igniting tubes have been prepared consisting of a tube charged withtrinitrotoluol or trinitrobenzol in liquid state. After the chilling ofthe nitro body, the tube is drawn to the desired caliber. Fuses are thusproduced which when primed with a fulminate of mercury cap detonate witha speed of 5000 to 6000 m. per second. The speed of detonation of atrinitrotoluol fuse is near to 5000 m. while that of a trinitrobenzolfuse is nearer to 6000 111. per second. The trinitrobenzol fuse, ascompared with the trinitrotoluol fuse, offers the advantage of a higherspeed of detonation, but in the preparation of the former, thedifficulty is encountered that to fuse the explosive, it must be heatedto a temperature exceeding 120 (3., while trinitrotoluol can beliquefied in a water bath at 90 C.

It is undesirable, from the standpoint of safety, to heat the explosivetoo high, and

it is of especial advantage to liquefy the explosive in a water bath.

From the standpoint of efficient priming, fuses with a high velocity ofdetonation are very advantageous, especially when the detonation wavestraveling in opposite directions are to be utilized. From thisstandpoint, particularly fuses with a higher speed of detonation offergreater advantages than those with a lower speed of detonation, sinceinthis manner the power of initiating detonations which in itself is greatis doubled.

From the above it is evident that it is of great advantage to have theexplosive used Application filed August 9, 1911.

Serial No. 643,181.

in the fuse combine the advantages mentioned, that is, a high speed ofdetonation, and to fuse same in a water bath.

Prior to my discovery trinitrotoluol was the most successful fuseexplosive. These nit-r0 bodies have a, lower fusing point thantrinitrobenz'ol and yet approach closely the velocity of detonation ofthe trinitrobenzol.

I have discovered nitro bodies which are fusible in a water bath,produce a greater expansion in the Trauzl lead-block than trinitroluoland at the same time possess a high speed of detonation. Such explosivesare, for instance trinitrochlorbenzol, tetranitroethylanilin.

Denotated under comparable conditions, the following results wereobtained.

, M I Expanl'ision gellotcit-y e ting in t e o e oua- A fuse chargedpoint, lead block, tion,

ccm.,gross. in. sec.

Trinitrotoluol .l 81- 82 3.50 5000 Trinitrochlorbenzol 83 360 6100Tetranitroethylanilin 96 3910 6200 Trinitrobenzol 121-122" 410 6400Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

